As part of their longstanding dedication to the University of Georgia, the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation has committed $1.1 million to establish the M. Douglas Ivester Scholar at the School of Medicine.

The Ivester commitment marks a significant milestone for the School of Medicine, becoming the University of Georgia’s first $1 million gift under the institution’s recent scholarship initiative. The funds will be matched by the UGA Foundation, bringing the total value of the gift to $2.2 million — the largest scholarship fund donated to the School of Medicine to date.

“We are deeply appreciative of the Ivester Foundation for their remarkable gift,” said Shelley Nuss, founding dean of the School of Medicine. “Their generosity will impact and empower countless students as they begin their medical education. The enduring legacy of this contribution will inspire future generations of physicians.”

The scholarship will be awarded annually, beginning with the School of Medicine’s inaugural class, and will be given to students from the Ivesters’ native Hall County.

“Two of Mr. and Mrs. Ivesters’ great passions, Hall County and the University of Georgia, collided together, creating the opportunity to support UGA’s School of Medicine,” said Lynn Darby, president of the M. Douglas and V. Kay Ivester Foundation. “The Ivester Foundation is always looking for opportunities to support the people of Gainesville and Hall County, particularly when education is involved. When the board learned about UGA’s new School of Medicine, it seemed like a natural fit for our foundation, and one which we hope provides great paths for those Hall County students who want to become doctors.”

The Ivesters’ love for the University of Georgia began when Doug, the former chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company, graduated from UGA’s Terry College of Business in 1969. Doug and Kay made their first contribution to UGA in 1971, and they have been dedicated supporters of UGA ever since. They have also been loyal champions of the Terry College of Business. Ivester Hall, one of the buildings in the college’s Business Learning Community and home to the M. Douglas and V. Kay Ivester Institute for Business Analytics and Insights, was dedicated in their honor in 2019.

“The Ivesters’ commitment to the University of Georgia continues to make a profound and lasting impact on our institution and, more importantly, on the lives of our students,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “From their support of the Terry College of Business to this incredible, record-setting investment in the new School of Medicine, Doug and Kay Ivester continue to open doors of opportunity, ensuring that students from their home of Hall County and across Georgia have access to a world-class education at UGA.”

Establishing the M. Douglas Ivester Scholar at the School of Medicine is not the first time the Ivesters have given back to their beloved Hall County. The family donated more than $1 million to establish 10 Georgia Commitment Scholarships through the Howard E. Ivester Scholarship Fund. The fund, named in honor of Doug Ivester’s father, provides need-based scholarships for Hall County students at UGA.

“For more than five decades, Doug and Kay Ivester have demonstrated an unwavering belief in the power of education and in the University of Georgia’s role in serving the state, and their latest investment reflects that extraordinary commitment,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “This remarkable gift will have a significant influence on the School of Medicine and on our state’s future health care workforce.”

The family also founded the Deer Run Global Fellows program, which established a fund for Hall County students in the Terry College of Business to experience study abroad programs. They’ve also supported education and children’s programming at Hall County’s elementary and high schools, funded the construction of Hall County’s Howard E. Ivester Early College and made a significant donation to Lanier Technical College to support program offerings and provide scholarships to students in need.

The School of Medicine was established to address Georgia’s unmet health care needs, and the Ivesters have long aligned with this mission as steadfast champions of health care. Their foundation has supported health care education programs at Brenau University by committing to scholarships, programming and various schools and departments. Their generosity also helped found two health care programs at Brenau — the Ivester College of Health Sciences and the Mary Inez Grindle School of Nursing, named in honor of Kay’s mother.

“The Ivester Foundation’s generosity sets a powerful example for our UGA community, and their gift will open doors for Hall County students,” said Hudson Clare, senior director of development for the School of Medicine. “We hope their generosity will inspire others to join us in investing in the next generation of Georgia’s physicians.”